Not Fast Enough, But Enough
by SenseiGrace
Summary: When Zoom leaves a baby orphaned, Barry feels like it's his responsibility to care for her. But he didn't know that he needed her as much as she needed him.
1. Too Late

**Hey guys! Happy December!**

 **So I normally only write for Glee, but this was a random idea a couple days ago and I couldn't leave it alone.**

 **So I hope you enjoy, you'll be getting a lot of daddy Barr and angst. So have fun with that.**

* * *

Chapter one. _Too Late._

Barry ran as fast as he could, the cold wind beating at his unmasked cheeks. "Guys," he groaned, his legs and lower back beginning to ache from the strain. "How much farther?" He asked.

Zoom had been spotted in a small suburban area on the other side of town, but for some reason, Barry could seem to get there fast enough.

Barry skidded to a stop as he saw the lights from emergency vehicles. "Guys." He whispered. "We're too late."

···

He quickly changed into a spare set of clothing, going into Barry Allen mode. He wiped the tears of frustration and worthlessness off of his face. He could have caught Zoom, he was so close.

One of the officers, Noah Miller, stopped talking as he saw Barry walk by. "Barry, you don't have to be here." He told him hesitantly.

Barry frowned. What did that mean? "This is my job, I'm supposed to be here." He said, continuing to make his way through the throng of law enforcement officials.

"Captain Singh!" He called, trying to get his attention.

The older man turned around and winced as he saw the boy. "Allen, it's alright." He said, putting his hand on Barry's shoulder. "We've got Davis on this one. Go home." He told him gently.

Barry was taken aback by gentle manner the captain was treating him with, there was something strange going on. "Sir, what's going on?" He asked, his stomach twisting uneasily.

Captain Singh sighed. "Double homicide." He explained, then looked to the ambulance. "That monster Zoom murdered them in front of their three month old daughter."

Barry bit his lip as a wave of sadness washed over him. He could have saved them, but he was too late. He was always too late.

"Hey," Singh started, trying to get Barry's attention. "Go home, don't worry about this one."

Barry nodded. "Thank you, Sir." He murmured, looking towards the house one last time. It looked like all other houses on the street, what made Zoom choose this one?

He weaved through the crowd, trying to get far enough away from them to use his speed. He sniffed, fresh tears forming in his eyes. Why did Zoom.. why was Zoom..

Barry gave up trying to figure out Zoom, the tears beginning to cascade. Was this a direct stab at his past? Was that why he did it?

He looked up as the sound of someone else crying became audible. He had somehow wound up right beside the ambulance.

"Barry?"

Barr turned around, he was face to face with Vivian Taylor, one of the paramedics who he had seen at a few crime scenes. (He had heard she was actually one of the paramedics to take him to the hospital when he was struck by lightning.) "Oh, hey, Viv." He greeted, wiping the cold tears off of his face.

Vivian frowned, the lights from the emergency vehicles casting an eerie glow onto her features. "What's wrong?" She asked.

Barry shook his head. "I'm fine." He said, then his eye caught a small bundle of blankets in her arms. "Is that her?" He asked, pointing the the bundle.

Vivian smiled and looked down. "Yeah, that's her." She confirmed. "Poor thing, she only calmed down a few seconds ago."

Barry sighed. "Can I hold her?" He asked, feeling an almost magnetic pull between him and the child.

Vivian nodded. "Sure." She said, putting the baby in his arms. "Just, try not to upset her."

Barry gasped as the baby yawned and opened her dark eyes. "Hi there." He cooed, bouncing her gently trying to keep her content. "Hi."

The baby squeezed her eyes shut and whimpered.

Barry felt his heart break at the sound of her whimpers. "Hey, shh.." He soothed, rocking her back and forth. "It's okay. I gotcha."

Vivian smiled. "You're doing amazing with her." She commented as the baby quieted again.

Barry looked up. "What's her name?" He asked, refocusing on the child in his arms.

"Charlotte Olivia Williams." She told him, then sighed. "But I guess that's about to change."

He nodded, then his head shot up. "Who is she staying with?" He asked, absentmindedly holding her closer.

Vivian shrugged. "I dunno." She relied. "Normally the first people to be contacted are family members, and if they don't want the child or children then they normally go into the foster system."

Barry froze in terror. He had been lucky enough that Joe had been a friend of his family years before his father was wrongfully convicted, and that Joe was willing to take him in. Almost completely sparing him from the system. "Who is she staying with until then?" He asked.

Vivian shrugged again. "I'm not sure, it's possible you could. You should probably talk to someone first." She told him. "I-" She was cut off by another paramedic running over and saying something to her.

"I gotta go, it was nice seeing you again, Barry." She told him.

···

Captain Singh sighed. "Are you sure about this, Allen?" He asked, looking down at the bundle in the forensic scientist's arms. "You know taking care of a kid isn't easy, right?"

Barry nodded, resisting the urge to look down at the baby in his arms. "Yes, I know, Sir." He said. "Please, let me take her in until we figure out who she's going with. I know it's going to be difficult, and I'll probably have to meet with a some sort of social worker or something. But please, Sir."

Singh sighed again. "Okay, you can take her in for now." He agreed.

Barry smiled and looked down at Charlotte. "Thank you, Sir!" He exclaimed, then wrapped the blanket more securely around the baby. "Lets get you home."

* * *

 **So, I hope you enjoyed this.**

 **I'm sorry if any of these facts are wrong, I don't know anything about the foster system. (Even after I tried looking it up. xD)**

 **So, don't forget to fave, follow, and review! (It would really make my day.)**


	2. Every Breath You Take

**Hey guys!**

 **Thanks for all of the support! :D**

 **I hope you enjoy this next part!**

* * *

Chapter two. _Every Breath You Take._

"Hey, Charlotte." Barry cooed at the waking baby. "Did you have a good nap?"

When Barry decided to take her in, he didn't realize how quickly he would become completely awestruck by her. The way she looked at him with fearful wonder, but leaned closer to him and stayed quiet. The way her tiny cheeks were perfectly rounded and pink. He didn't realize how quickly she would become his everything.

But she wasn't his. She was a child born to parents killed by him not being fast enough to stop Zoom. She was a child that had family to go spend the rest of her life with if they took her in. She wasn't his, and never would be.

"That's a cute baby you've got there, is she yours?"

Barry looked up, his deep thinking had made him forget his surroundings. He was on a bus, and talking to him was an older lady. She was maybe in her fifties? Barry didn't know.

He shook his head. "No, she isn't mine." He said, glancing at Charlotte, her eyes were closed again as she breathed evenly. She had obviously fallen back asleep.

The woman nodded, taking in the sight of the young man who treated this baby with such gentle adoration. "Are you babysitting?" She asked.

Barry looked up and flashed a half smile at the woman. "Something like that."

···

Cisco and Caitlin looked up as Barry walked into the Cortex, holding a bundle of pink blankets in his arms and cooing quietly at it.

"Barry, is that a baby?" Caitlin asked, leaving her post behind a large computer and walking over to him.

Barry nodded as he began bouncing the whimpering baby. "Yeah, this is Charlotte." He told them, not taking his eyes off of her.

Cisco frowned as he joined them. "Why do you have a baby?" He asked, peering over the blankets at the child.

Barry looked up at them. His eyes were filled with tears threatening to cascade. "Zoom got to her parents before I could save them, I begged Captain Singh to let me take care of her until we found out if she would be living with her family." He explained, then turned to Caitlin. "Please tell me that we've found a way to beat him, Cait."

Caitlin shook her head. "I'm sorry, Barry, nothing new yet." She told him. "But be patient, you just returned from breaking your back. Give yourself a little time."

Barry looked down at Charlotte. The reason he was holding her in his arms was because he couldn't save her parents. "We don't have time." He whispered. "I'm not letting another person die because of Zoom."

Cisco and Caitlin glanced sadly at each other before nodding at Barry, even though it was unlikely that they would have any real plan to defeat Zoom anytime soon. "Do you need any help?" Caitlin asked him.

Barry looked up. "Can you watch her for a few minutes while I go pick up some supplies?" He asked. "I know I probably won't have her very long, but she's still gonna need food, clothes, and diapers."

Caitlin nodded and held out her arms. "Of course. Take all the time you need, Barry." She told him.

Barry bit his lip as he handed Charlotte to Caitlin, feeling cold as soon as the warm baby left his chest. "Please be careful."

···

Barry did not know shopping could be this hard.

He wandered down the baby isle for the eighth time. He had no idea what to get her. What brand of diapers would be best, what size clothes, or what to get her to eat. Was she already eating baby food? Or was she still on a formula?

Barry sighed, pulling out his phone and flipped it indecisively. He didn't want to call Caitlin, he wanted to show them that he could do this. But even then, he knew nothing about being a father, and he knew nothing about which brand of diapers would work best. (Did it really matter though? They all did the same thing.)

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed again. What even were half of these brands?

He looked down at the phone. "Hey, Caitlin." He started, swallowing the last of his pride. "I have a question for you."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed! (Also, shout out to aliqueen16 who came up with the title, and my sis Brentinator who made the cover, love you both!)**


	3. Sing You To Sleep

**Hey guys!**

 **Thank you so much for all of the follows, faves, and reviews! They mean so much to me!**

 **I hope you're all enjoying this story! (I personally am having a blast writing sweet Barry as a daddy.)**

 **DISCLAIMER! I don't own any of the diaper brands mentioned in this chapter! (Huggies, Pampers, and Luvs.) They belong to their respective owners! I also don't own "** ** _Glad You Came_** **" by "** ** _The Wanted_** **." I also don't own the Flash.**

* * *

Chapter three. _Sing You To Sleep._

Barry had never ran faster in his life.

He was terrified that something would happen to Charlotte. It wasn't that he didn't have faith in Cisco and Caitlin, it was just that he felt wrong not holding her in his arms.

He skidded to a halt as he bolted into the Cortex.

Cisco turned around. "Gosh, Barry." He breathed, placing his hand on his chest. "I thought you were Zoom! Warn me next time!"

Barry looked around. "Where's Charlotte?" He asked, his heart beginning to beat faster. Had Zoom come and kidnapped her while he was gone?

Cisco pointed to one of the other rooms. "She wouldn't stop crying after you left, so Caitlin tried to put her to sleep in a dark room away from all of the loud computers."

Barry nodded, trying to hide his sudden relief. She wasn't his child, why was he so worried about everything?

"Oh my gosh." Cisco said, bringing Barry out of his thoughts.

"What?" Barry asked, looking around to make sure no one else was there. There wasn't, he had no idea why Cisco sounded so scared.

Cisco pointed to the bag of groceries. "You bought _Luvs_." He whispered as if saying it louder was blasphemous.

Barry frowned. What was a _Loves_? "What?" He repeated, even more confused this time around.

Cisco shook his head. "Caitlin told you to buy _Huggies_ or _Pampers._ " He told him. "You bought _Luvs_!"

Barry groaned. "It's a diaper!" He cried, throwing his hands in the air. This was giving him a headache that not even the Speedforce could heal. "They all do the same thing!"

Cisco sighed. "Try explaining that to Caitlin." He said, then placed his hand on Barry's shoulder. "It was an honor to fight beside you, brother."

···

"Hey, baby." Barry whispered, leaning over the bed Charlotte was sleeping on. "Hi, Cait."

Caitlin looked up. "Hey, Barry." She greeted, walking over to them. "Did you get everything she needed?" She asked.

Barry shrugged, much more interested in the sleeping baby than the items he had just bought. "I dunno, Cisco says I bought the wrong diaper brand." He admitted, absentmindedly running his thumb across Charlotte's plump stomach. "How was Charlotte?"

Caitlin sighed. "She cried herself to sleep." She said. "I don't know why though, she didn't seem hungry, and her diaper was fine. I wonder if her parents had trouble getting her to sleep."

Barry nodded and looked down at Charlotte. She was the most beautiful baby he had ever seen, her rounded face and almond shaped eyes, and her tufts of soft black hair that laid down on her head perfectly. She was everything he ever could have hoped for. But she wasn't his.

"Cisco thinks she needs a nickname." Caitlin said, causing Barry to be pulled away from his thoughts. "He thinks Charlotte is too long and takes to much time to say. I personally think Charlotte is a beautiful name, and I don't understand him."

Barry shrugged. "I guess I get where he's coming from. But what would we call her? Charlie? Lottie? There really aren't that many nicknames for the name Charlotte." He replied, looking down at Charlotte's tiny fingers. He couldn't believe how small they were.

"Disturber of the Peace!" Cisco yelled from the Cortex. "That's what she'll be like tonight!"

Barry rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "Maybe she's a good sleeper!" He yelled back, then bit his lip. What if he woke up Charlotte?

"Oh my gosh," Caitlin groaned, looking into the grocery bags. "Barry, I told you not to buy _Luvs_!"

···

Cisco was correct. Charlotte had lungs and vocal cords to put even the best of singers to shame. Especially at three a.m. (Even though Barry wasn't even going to think about calling her Disturber of the Peace.)

"Shh. Shh." Barry soothed, bouncing her gently. Her cries not only hurt his ears, but they made his heart ache. He hated hearing her like this, he wanted her to be a happy baby. "It's okay, baby. I've got you."

Barry walked into the kitchen, hoping he could figure out how to make a bottle of formula. It couldn't be that hard, right?

Wrong.

Barry read over the instructions for the seventh time. He wanted to blame half of his lack of understanding on the screaming child in his arms, but he couldn't bring himself to do that.

Finally he figured it out and sat down with her on the couch. "Here you go." He cooed, placing the bottle in her mouth.

She closed her eyes, sucking the bottle eagerly. Barry smiled. "You were just hungry, weren't you? Just like your dad-" He stopped himself. He almost called himself her daddy.

He shook his head, trying to shake the mistake from his head. He wasn't her father.

He sighed, then began humming. Soon the humming turned into singing.

"The sun goes down

The stars come out,

And all that counts

Is here and now.

My universe will never be the same,

I'm glad you came.

I'm glad you came."

* * *

 **So I hope you enjoyed!**

 **So Team Flash has no idea what nickname to give to baby Charlotte. Well, neither do I! So review with what nickname you think would be cute for Charlotte!**


	4. Double Shot, Extra Hot

**Hey guys!**

 **So, my sis, Brentinator, thinks I'm spoiling you guys because just have another chapter ready to be posted. (Or maybe she just knows how** ** _"good"_** **I am at posting on a regular basis. xD)**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter four. _Double Shot, Extra Hot._

Barry's eyes shot open. He was on the couch with Charlotte sleeping in his arms, and an empty bottle on the coffee table beside him. He must have fallen asleep on the couch after she was done eating.

"Good morning, Charlotte." He whispered as the baby stirred in his arms. She stayed asleep though, making Barry agree with anyone who ever said that babies are nocturnal. He also had the dark under-eyes to prove it.

Barry sighed as he pulled himself off of the couch. He wished he could just curl up in the blankets on his bed and fall into a deep slumber. But he had work, and a baby to care for.

He rocked Charlotte back and forth as he walked up the stairs to his room. He didn't want to wake her up, but he didn't think Captain Singh would be happy if his CSI showed up in pajamas.

Barry gently laid her on the bed and rubbed her stomach as she began to whimper. "No, don't cry, baby." He soothed, wanting to pick her up. "Just give me a minute, I've just gotta get ready for work."

He wished he could move faster as her whimpers turned into cries and screams. "Just a minute, baby girl!" He called, wishing he could sooth her cries from where he struggled with his shirt. "I'll be right there, Charlotte."

He sped over to her, stopping just short of the bed. "Hey, it's okay." He soothed, scooping her up into his arms. "See? I'm right here."

Charlotte looked up at him. Her tear filled eyes focused on his face as her cries reduced to whimpers. "See, baby girl? I'm right here." He said, running his fingers through her dark hair.

He sighed as she stopped crying. "Now," he began, bouncing her gently. "How about we get you some food, then we go get me a coffee?"

···

Barry was surprised at the amount of comments he got over Charlotte. He didn't understand why people couldn't believe that she wasn't his kid. And no, he and Iris did not have a baby together. Why did everyone ask that?

He rubbed at his eyes as he walked up to the counter at Jitters. He needed this coffee. "One Flash, please." He said, hoping he didn't sound too desperate. (Really though, he was desperate.)

The barista, Jolene, smiled. "Hey, Barry!" She greeted, then looked down at Charlotte. "Aww! She's cute! Is she yours and Iri-"

Barry stopped her. "No, she isn't mine and Iris', she isn't even mine." He said, then sighed. "I'm fostering her."

Jolene nodded, as she worked on his coffee. (Which, in Barry's mind, was taking way too long.) "Okay, that's a good answer." She replied, looking down at the coffee. "Why don't you sit down? I'll bring this to you in a moment."

Barry nodded. "Thanks." He mumbled, then sat down.

"Hey, Charlotte." He cooed, smiling as her dark eyes locked with his. "Are you having a good morning?"

Charlotte gurgled and rubbed her eyes. Unknowingly warming Barry's heart. She was the sweetest, single most precious thing in Barry's life, and he loved her dearly.

"Okay, then. We'll take that as a yes." He told her, running his thumb over her cheek.

"One Flash, and a espresso, double shot, extra hot."

Barry's head shot up, almost colliding with Jolene's tray. "I didn't order an espresso, Jolene." He said.

Jolene smiled, placing it in front of him. "I know, it's on the house." She said, then gestured to Charlotte. "You look like you could use it."

* * *

 **So, this was a bit more of a filler chapter than the last three. But Barry and Charlotte need a bit more bonding time before the plot actually comes into play.**

 **You can still review which nickname you think would be best for baby Charlotte! Also, if you can think of any cute things for Barry to do with Charlotte, feel free to put that in your review. (Hopefully there will be a winning nickname by the end if the week.)**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	5. Good Luck, Charlie

**Hey guys!**

 **Wow, this has got to be a new record. It's been three days and I've already written five chapters. (I'm spoiling you guys rotten.) But I honestly couldn't have done it without your support, so, thank you.**

 **So, a couple if chapters ago, I asked you all to post a nickname for Charlotte in your review. Well, the ayes have it, and Charlie it is! (It won by a landslide.)**

 **So, I hope you enjoy chapter five! :D**

* * *

Chapter five. Good Luck, Charlie. (The Ayes Have It.)

Barry walked into the precinct, wishing that his on the house espresso had made him feel more awake. Sadly, it did not. (He would have to talk to Caitlin about making a more potent caffeinated drink for him later.)

"Hey, Allen."

Barry turned around. He was face to face with Officer Kyle Jones. "Hey, Kyle." He echoed.

Kyle smiled, then looked down at Charlotte. "When did you and Iris have a baby?"

Barry groaned. It was going to be a long day.

···

"Allen!"

Barry's head shot up at the voice. "Captain Singh." He greeted as his stomach twisted. What if he had come to take Charlotte away?

"How's the Jefferson case going?" Singh asked, looking down at the baby. She was sleeping in an old playpen that Joe had given Barry.

Barry bit his lip as he watched his boss stare at Charlotte with such intensity. "I'm running analysis on the evidence right now, Sir." He told him, wanting to shield Charlotte from whatever look Singh was giving her. It didn't look distasteful, it didn't even look like he was angry. Barry didn't know why he didn't like it.

"How is she treating you?" Singh asked, looking away from Charlotte. He seemed genuinely... concerned? Interested? Barry wasn't sure.

Barry shrugged. "Figuring out formula and diapers is harder than taking care if her. She's a relatively calm baby, she just wants attention." He said, looking at Charlotte. "And food." He added, chuckling slightly.

Singh nodded. "It sounds like she has you wrapped around her finger." He laughed. Which made Barry do a double take. He had never heard Singh laugh before.

"Yeah, her tiny, tiny finger." Barry agreed.

Singh smiled, then turned around. "Well, I need to get back to my office."

Barry nodded, then stopped. "Wait!" He cried, causing Singh to turn around. "Do we know if Charlotte's relatives are going to take her in?" He asked.

Singh shook his head and smiled. "As soon as we find out something, I'll make sure you're the first to know."

···

"I think Charlotte is a beautiful name, Cisco."

Barry looked up from where he was feeding Charlotte. Caitlin and Cisco were at it again with nicknames. He honestly didn't care the much. (As long as they didn't call her Disturber of the Peace.)

"I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with the name Charlotte." Cisco told her, putting up his hands defensively. "I'm just saying she needs a nickname."

Barry sighed, adjusting Charlotte in his arms so he could burp her. "Just, hear him out, Cait." He said, gently patting Charlotte's back. "What harm can that do?"

Caitlin sighed. "Okay, I'm humor you." She told him. "What do you have?"

Cisco's face lit up as he sat up. "Well, there really aren't that many nicknames for the name Charlotte, so these are some pretty common ones." He said, sounding almost like it was a memorized speech. "There's, Lotte, Arlo, Char, Char-Char, Charlie, Lee, Lot, Charl, and Arly."

Barry looked up. "I like Arly." He said, looking down at Charlotte and kissing the top of her head. The fuzzy hair tickling his lips. "But Charlie is cute too."

Caitlin shrugged, looking at the baby. "She does look like a Charlie." She agreed, crossing her arms.

Cisco smiled. "Then the ayes have it! Charlie it is!" He exclaimed, causing Charlotte to start whining. "Oops." He apologized sheepishly.

Barry sighed and bounced her gently, trying to sooth her before the cries became any worse. "Shh, shh, shh. You're okay." He cooed, kissing her head again. "Thanks, Cisco." He mumbled sarcastically.

Cisco laughed. "You're welcome."

* * *

 **So, I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to follow, fave, and review!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	6. Family Meetings and Season's Greetings

**Hey guys!**

 **So, happy holidays! (As this is what the next few chapters and days will be focused on.) I hope you're having a great holiday season!**

 **Anyway, I have spoiled you all. Because I can't stop writing this story, and you all are drinking it up like spiked punch. (Sorry, weird analogy there. xD)**

 **So, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter six. _Family Meetings and Season's Greetings. (Part 1)_

Barry had never met a baby like Charlotte. For some reason, most babies would start wailing the second Barry looked at them, but little Charlie would begin to cry if he even put her down. It was strange.

"Hey, Barry!" Iris greeted as she walked into the Cortex. "Who's that?" She asked.

Barry smiled and glanced back down at Charlotte. "This is Charlie, well, Charlotte." He told Iris, absentmindedly rubbing his thumb over Charlotte's tiny arm. "I'm fostering her."

Iris nodded and sat down beside him, peering over his shoulder to look at the baby. "I'm guessing Cisco nicknamed her?" She joked, then smiled at Charlotte. "Hi, Charlie." She cooed.

Barry chuckled, then looked at Iris. "You want to hold her, don't you?" He asked, wondering if Charlie would go to Iris without crying.

Iris nodded, and Barry placed Charlie in her arms. "Hey, there." She cooed, running her fingers through Charlie's tufts of hair.

Charlie began to whimper as she squeezed her eyes shut and balled her fists. "No, no, no, baby girl. Don't cry." Barry soothed, leaning over Iris' shoulder. "I'm right here, Charlotte."

Iris looked up at Barry as the baby in her arms quieted. "Wow." She breathed in awe. "You're really good at that. And that was really cute."

Barry blushed and looked down. "It was nothing." He mumbled awkwardly.

Iris laughed, then became more serious. "So, not that I have anything against Daddy Barr, because it is super cute. But why are you fostering her?" She asked.

Barry sighed. "Zoom killed her parents, because I was too late to save them." He explained, then looked at Charlie. "Then I met Charlotte, and I just felt drawn to her."

Iris nodded and glanced down at the baby. "Well, she definitely has you wrapped around her finger. I've never seen you more mesmerized by anyone. Not even Harrison Wells." She told him. "So, on an unrelated note, what are you getting dad for Christmas?" She asked.

Barry did a double take. Iris was right, Christmas day was only four days away. He had been so wrapped up in taking down Zoom that he had completely forgotten! "Ummm... it's a surprise?" He tried.

Iris groaned. "Bartholomew!"

···

Barry rocked Charlotte as he looked for something that Joe would like for Christmas. "What do you think Joe would like for Christmas, Charlie?" He asked, looking away from the many isles he still had to trek and down at the baby.

She yawned, then looked up at him, sticking out her little tongue as she did.

Barry chuckled. "Yeah, I don't know either, baby girl." He replied.

"Do you think he would like a new watch?" He wondered as he walked by a display. He literally had no idea what to get Joe. Joe had a watch, so that was pretty useless. He didn't want to get him a fishing rod, because Joe didn't really fish, at least, not after he had to flush Iris' goldfish "Goldie" down the toilet. (Boy, that was a day...)

Charlotte whimpered, pulling Barry out of his thoughts. "Yeah, that's right, baby." He sighed as he tried to sooth her. "I need a watch more than he does..."

He sighed again. "Maybe there will be something online." He said, then looked down at Charlotte. "Let's go home."

* * *

 **So, I hope you enjoyed!**

 **I really hope this story makes up in quality for what it lacks in quantity. (These chapters aren't very long.)**

 **I'll try to have another chapter up tomorrow, but no promises with Christmas just around the corner.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	7. My Baby Girl

**Hey guys! (My beautiful Flash family!)**

 **Thank you for all the love and support! This story hit 1,000 views last night! So a big thank you to everyone who has read this!**

 **So, I'm pretty sure I said that there may not be a chapter today. But I guess I lied.. (You're all so spoiled at this point. xD)**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this part! :D**

* * *

Chapter seven. _My Baby Girl._

The call came early the next morning, pulling Barry out of his much needed slumber.

"Hello?" He greeted as he shifted into a more comfortable position. He had been up with Charlie all night, and she would only sleep if she was in his arms. (Which was adorable, but it kept Barry from sleeping as much.)

"Hello, this is Rebecca Smith. I'm the social worker representing Charlotte Williams. Is this Bartholomew Allen?"

Barry sat up and frowned. "Yes, this is him."

···

Barry walked into the Cortex, waving as Cisco looked up. "Hey, Cisco." He greeted, sitting down in one of chairs.

Cisco frowned. "What's up?" He asked, worrying about his friend. Because Barry looked like he was in shock.

Barry looked up. "I got a call from a social worker earlier." He told him, then glanced down at Charlie. "The family didn't want her. She's mine after I go through classes and a court hearing."

Cisco laughed. "Congrats!" He exclaimed, gently bumping shoulders with the other boy. "Have you told anyone else?" He asked.

Barry shook his head, then looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms. "No, I wanna wait until Christmas. Ya know, surprise 'em." He explained, gently caressing Charlie's cheek. "I can't believe that I'm gonna be a father." He breathed.

Cisco smiled. "I can." He told Barry. "The way you bonded with Charlie. It doesn't surprise that that you're going to be her dad. It's like you two were supposed to be together."

Barry shrugged. "I just hope I'm good enough." He told him. "What if I'm a horrible father?" He asked, anxiety beginning to wash through him. What if he couldn't protect her? What if Zoom somehow got to her? He had already failed her birth parents.

"Hey," Cisco started, pulling him out of his toxic thoughts. "You're going to be a great dad. And enjoy this moment, she's yours."

Barry nodded. "Yeah." He agreed, realizing that Cisco was correct. Sweet baby Charlotte was his daughter.

···

Barry ran as fast as he could. Zoom had been spotted, and this time they would hopefully stop him.

"Zoom!" He yelled, skidding to a stop in front of the blue masked man. "It's over!"

Zoom laughed, a horrific, crackling laugh that sent a shiver of fear down Barry's spine. "Are you sure, Flash?" He asked, speeding off.

Barry swore, then followed the blue electricity that Zoom left in his wake. The freezing wind beating at his uncovered cheeks, leaving them burning and red.

He hated that he was so much slower than Zoom. How was he ever going to keep his city safe if he was so slow?

Barry stopped abruptly as he met up with Zoom. His heart pounded. They were outside of the house Charlotte's family had lived in.

"What are we doing here?" Barry asked as a wave of nervousness washed through him. This was where Charlie had lived, Zoom had known about her.

Zoom bolted over and grabbed Barry's shoulders as he ran him into a wall. "You're going to do exactly as I tell you." He whispered in Barry's ear. "Or next time I won't spare the child."

Barry fell to the ground as Zoom sped off. He could hear his teammates asking what was wrong through his com device, but that didn't matter to him.

Zoom had threatened Charlie. Zoom had threatened his baby girl.

Barry inhaled a shuddering breath. What was he going to do?

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed! (Don't forget to follow, fave, and review!)**

 **So, we're finally getting into the plot now. (Zoom is so mean!)**

 **Thanks for reading! :D**


	8. Sleeping With One Eye Open

**Hey guys! Merry/happy Christmas Eve!**

 **So, I have to thank you all. I rarely have a book hit eight chapters, normally they stall at about five chapters. But this one is still going strong, thanks to your support!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter eight. _Sleeping With One Eye Open._

Barry was being check for injuries by Caitlin as soon as he walked into the Cortex. He needed to see her, where was his daughter?

Caitlin checked him up and down for the fifth time. "Your heart rate is elevated." She told him, then cupped his cheeks in her hands. "Are you hurt?" She asked, looking up at him.

Barry shook his head. He didn't know if he was hurt, and he didn't care. Even though he could feel his breathing become more unsteady. Where was Charlie?

"Where is she?" He asked, looking around. Had Zoom come for her? "Where's Charlotte?" He gasped, his vision darkening as a rush of panic rolled through him.

Cisco stood up. "Whoa, Barry, calm down." He said, walking over to them. "Charlie is with Iris. She's fine." He tried to convince him.

Barry shook his head again, more violently this time. She wasn't safe, Zoom had threatened her. "Where's Iris?" He asked, the gripping feeling in his stomach getting worse. He needed to see her, to make sure she was safe.

Caitlin shook her head, placing her hand on Barry's shoulder. "Oh no, you don't." She said, leading him away from the exit. "I need to run some tests, your heart rate is off the charts."

A sob escaped Barry's lips. "No, please." He pleaded as he reluctantly sat on one of the beds. "I need to see her!" He cried, tears beginning to steam down his face.

Caitlin looked up at Cisco. "Call Iris." She mouthed, then looked down at Barry. "Hey, c'mon, breathe." She told him. "You're hyperventilating, Barry. You're okay."

Barry shook his head again. How was he okay knowing that Zoom was after his baby?

···

"Hey, I got your call." Iris said, running into the Cortex. "What's wrong?" She asked.

Cisco looked up. "Barry went and fought Zoom, he came back freaking out." He told her, walking her towards where they had placed Barry. "He was begging for Charlotte."

Iris looked down at the baby in her arms. She knew that Barry loved the child, but why was he panicking about her? She was fine, right?

They walked into the room to find a shirtless Barry having his pupils checked by Caitlin. "Yeah, definitely a minor concussion." She told him, then looked up. "I'd take it easy for a few hours, Barry."

Barry nodded, wincing as he did. "And my shoulder?" He asked, his voice raspy and weak.

"Zoom bruised the bone when he pushed you against the wall, you should feel better soon." She told him. "Seriously though, take it easy."

Cisco cleared his throat, causing both Barry and Caitlin to look up. "Guess who's here, Barry." He told him as Iris walked towards Barry and put Charlie in his arms.

She frowned. Barry didn't grin when she put Charlie in his arms, but instantly started to check the baby for... wounds?

Barry sighed in relief, then placed Charlie on his chest. "Hey, baby girl." He whispered, placing his hand on her back. "It's okay, you're safe."

Iris watched Barry closely. He honestly looked like he was prepared for Zoom to walk through the door. "What did Zoom do, Barry?" She asked.

Barry looked up at her. "Nothing." He lied, gently rubbing Charlie's back. "He just brought me to the other side of town and told me some things as he beat me up." He said, then turned to Caitlin. "Do we have a blanket anywhere?"

Iris glanced over at Cisco before looking back at Barry. Something was off. "Barry," she started hesitantly. "What did he say?"

Barry shrugged as well as he could with the baby on his chest. But he didn't want to move her. She was what was keeping him anchored right now. Calming his breathing with her own. "Nothing," he lied again. "Just that.. He was going to beat me."

Iris nodded sadly. Something was definitely wrong.

···

Barry kissed the top of Charlie's head as he laid her down in her crib. "Goodnight, baby girl." He whispered, pulling the blanket up to her waist. "I love you."

He inhaled deeply, looking over at her one last time as he walked away. He couldn't shake the feeling that Zoom would come for her in the night while everyone was sleeping. How could he protect her if he was sleeping?

He bit his lip as he shut off the light. He knew he was being ridiculous, he had already set up a baby monitor, a nanny cam, and she was in the room right across from him. And besides, as long as he did what Zoom told him to do, Charlie would be fine. Right?

He inhaled a shuddering breath as he left the room, keeping the door open so he could get to her if something went wrong. Everything just felt off, and Barry couldn't shake that feeling.

Either way, he was sleeping with one eye open tonight.

* * *

 **Hahaha! I hope you enjoyed whatever kind of Barry whump/angst that was. :)**

 **So, there may be a chapter tomorrow. But please don't expect one on Christmas day, I'm going to be spending it with my family. So I probably won't even be online at all.**

 **Thanks for reading! Have a merry Christmas! Love you, family! :D**


	9. The Truth

**Hey guys! :D**

 **I hope you had a great Christmas! And for those of you who don't observe the holiday, I hope you had a fantastic day.**

 **Well, I am currently sick, fam. So, this may mean more story or less. Hopefully more.**

 **So, I hope you enjoy! (This was actually supposed to be posted on the 25th, but my doc manager was messed up. Sorry.)**

* * *

Chapter nine. _The truth._

Barry shot awake as a wail pierced through the silence of the night. The initial adrenalin being replaced with terror as he realized that Charlie was the one crying.

He swore as he sped out of his room and into hers.

Barry exhaled in relief as he walked over to the crib and his daughter was still in there. "Hey, Charlie." He whispered, running his hand through her hair. "Shh. Don't cry, baby girl." He soothed, gently scooping her into his arms.

He sighed as she continued to cry. "C'mon, Buttercup," he cooed, then kissed her head. "Don't cry. Daddy's got you, you're safe." He told her, hoping that what he said was true. That she was safe, that Zoom wouldn't rip her from his arms.

He trudged down the stairs, making sure not to jostle the crying baby too much as he walked. "Shh, shh, shh. Baby girl, you're okay." He absentmindedly whispered as he began making her bottle. (He was so happy that he had finally figured out how to make formula without messing it up.)

He sat down with her, gently placing the bottle into her mouth. "There you go." He said, pulling her closer as she drank the contents of the bottle.

He smiled as her eyes closed and her breathing evened. "I love you, Charlie." He whispered, kissing her fuzzy dark hair. "And I'm never letting anyone hurt you."

···

Barry looked up as he heard a knock on the door. He looked down at his sleeping daughter before standing up and walking towards the door.

He opened the door. "Dad!" He exclaimed, smiling at the man standing outside of his house. He couldn't believe his dad was here, he hadn't seen him since he had broken his back a few months prior.

Henry smiled. "Hey, Slugger!" He greeted, then looked down at the baby in Barry's arms. "Who's this?" He asked, laughing.

Barry's smile widened. "This is Charlie, well, Charlotte." Barry explained, the sleeping baby curling closer to his chest. "I'm her foster father."

Henry nodded, then hugged Barry. "It's so good to see you again." He told him. "I missed you, Barry."

···

Barry sat on to sofa, fidgeting anxiously. He had handed Charlie to Henry about ten minutes ago, and the older man was now cooing at the baby that was looking up at him curiously.

"I love you, Charlotte." Henry cooed, gently touching the tip of her button nose. "You're so pretty." He told her as she gurgled happily at him and stuck out her tongue.

Barry tried to smile, he tried to relax, but it just wasn't happening. It wasn't that he didn't trust Henry, in fact, he trusted his father to hold Charlie more than he trusted most of his teammates. He blamed his anxiety on Zoom. The fact that Zoom could much more easily steal Charlie from Henry's arms than he could from his own.

Henry looked away from Charlotte, and looked to his son. He frowned. "Hey, what's wrong, Barry?" He asked.

Barry's head shot up. "Oh, nothing's wrong!" He exclaimed a bit too quickly.

Henry saw right through his charade. His expression softened. "Are you okay, Slugger?" He questioned, sitting up straighter.

Barry bit his lip and looked away. How could he explain what Zoom had told him to Henry? How would he react? Would Henry be disappointed about the fact that Zoom was still out there and that he still couldn't protect himself against him, let alone keep his daughter safe.

He shook his head as his throat tightened. "No." He whimpered, tears beginning to fill his eyes.

Henry placed Charlie on the sofa and walked over to Barry. He placed his arm around his shoulder. "Barry, what's wrong, son?" He asked, pulling his son closer.

Barry buried his face in his father chest as he began to sob. "I- I..." He hiccuped as his sobs grew harder.

Henry frowned, placing his hand on Barry's shaking back. "Hey, it's okay." He soothed, trying to calm down the crying speedster. "Calm down, then try to talk."

A moment later Barry sat up. He wiped the tears from his bloodshot eyes and sniffed. "Zoom threatened Charlie." He told him, his voice cracking. "He said that if I didn't do as he said, he would kill her!"

Henry's eyes widened with shock. "He threatened her?" He repeated. "Have you told your team?" He asked, rubbing Barry's back. He couldn't imagine what this must be like for his son. Yes, he knew what it felt like to have your child in harm's way, but he knew that Barry could take care of himself. Charlotte was a baby.

Barry shook his head. "It was like, if I didn't say it, it wouldn't be real." He explained, hanging his head in shame. "And there's nothing they can do about it." He whispered.

Henry sighed, pulling Barry closer. "Hey, it's gonna be okay." He reassured him.

Barry shook his head again. "I'm not fast enough." He told him. "How can I keep her safe if I'm not fast enough?" He asked as the tears began to fall again.

"Hey," Henry started, wiping the tears off of his son's face. "No more of that, Barry." He told him.

Barry looked up at his father, their eyes locking. "What should I do, dad?" He asked. He knew that Henry probably didn't know the answer to this problem, but he needed his dad's advice. Even if it wasn't on how to stop Zoom, or how to keep him away from Charlotte. He just needed his father to say something.

Henry sighed and wrapped his arms around Barry. "You need to tell your team." He said, resting his chin on the top of his son's head. "I can't help you, Barry. But your team? They can. Don't keep them out of the loop."

Barry nodded, closing his eyes. He wished that just for once, he wouldn't be fighting some villain, he wished that his daughter wasn't in harm's way, he wished that something would go right in his life. But he was the Flash, he was Barry Allen. Having things go wrong for him? That's what he excelled at. And he hated it.

* * *

 **I hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to fave, follow, and review. :D**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	10. Say Goodbye

**Hey guys!**

 **So, I wasn't planning on posting today. You know, using the "I'm sick" excuse. (We've all done it.) But at this point, this story has gotten over 2,000 views and is my second most popular story. So, I thought I would keep spoiling my little fam.**

 **Anyways, I hope you enjoy! :) (Even though, after this chapter. You're going to wish I had just taken a break because of my cold.)**

* * *

Chapter ten. _Say Goodbye._

Barry sighed as he paced around his lab. He had no idea what he was going to tell his team. How would he explain that he had kept it a secret when he wasn't even sure why he did. His team would have his head.

He looked down at Charlie, she was sleeping peacefully in her playpen. "What should I do?" He asked the sleeping child. Asking not only about what to tell the team, but how to keep her safe from Zoom.

Barry leaned over and scooped her into his arms. It was difficult for him to put her down. It wasn't like it had been a few weeks ago, when he felt wrong without his baby. But it was different now, he felt like he couldn't breathe unless he was holding her, he felt like he was on the verge of a panic attack all of the time.

He gently played with her silky jet black hair, letting it release some of his anxiety. His chest felt tight, he felt like he couldn't breathe correctly. "I'm so sorry, Buttercup." He whispered, kissing her forehead. "I wish I could protect you better. But I.." He inhaled deeply as his throat tightened. He felt like a broken record, repeating the same thing, over and over. "I can't."

···

Barry looked up as the team filed into the Cortex. He could feel the pressure of telling them what Zoom had said weighing down in him. He didn't know if they would be mad, they always hated when he kept secrets. And this was a big secret, it was literally about his daughter.

Iris frowned as she looked at Barry, he looked horrible. His naturally pale skin had taken on a ghostly grey twinge, expect for around his eyes, which had become a dark shade of pink and purple. It was otherworldly...

"Barry," she started, walking over to where he was practically gripping Charlie. "Are you okay?" She asked, placing her hand on his arm.

Barry looked up, he had been too lost in his thoughts to hear what she had asked. He shrugged, guessing that it could answer the question.

He sighed as Cisco walked in cautiously. That was the last of them, all of his teammates were here. Now it was time for the hard part. Telling them that he had been keeping this secret.

"Hi." He said, his voice just above a whisper. He inhaled deeply. "I have something to tell you."

Cisco and Caitlin frowned. "What's wrong, Barry?" Caitlin asked, ready to jump into action if he was injured.

Barry bit his lip and forced himself to keep looking at them. "I.. I lied to you guys." He admitted, looking down. "I lied to you about what happened when I last confronted Zoom."

Joe crossed his arms, looking at Barry with a raised eyebrow. "What happened then?" He asked.

Barry swallowed. He knew this would be hard. "Zoom.. He told me to do exactly as he said, or.." He said, trailing off at the end as his eyes filled with tears.

Iris rubbed Barry's back. "Or what, Barry?" She asked.

A small sob escaped Barry's lips as tears cascaded down his onto his cheeks. "He said he would kill Charlie!" He squeaked. "I'm sorry, I didn't know how to tell you all! Please don't be mad!"

The team looked back and forth at each other. This wasn't what they had expected. They had expected something more... normal? This was one of the last things that they could have expected by Barry calling them all to Star Labs. They weren't sure what they had expected, but this wasn't it.

"Bro," Cisco started, breaking the suffocating silence. "How can we help?" He asked.

Caitlin nodded. "Yeah, Barry. What's the plan?" She questioned, tilting her head slightly.

Barry looked down. "I don't know."

···

Barry shot awake. He could hear the crackling of lightning.

He sped out of his bed and into Charlie's room. His heart jumped into his throat as he saw her room.

Standing in the middle of the room was the blue clad monster. "Zoom." Barry said, fear engulfing him.

Zoom turned around and tilted his head to the left. "I warned you, Flash." He said, causing Barry to look down at his arms, and what he was holding in them. "I told you to do as I said."

Barry sobbed. "Please! Don't take her!" He pleaded. Charlie was in Zoom's arms, he was holding Charlie. "I never did anything wrong."

Zoom sped forward and grabbed Barry by the neck. Keeping Charlie away from Barry's reach as the claws of his suit dug painfully into the thin flesh of Barry's neck. "Goodbye, Flash."

* * *

 **Hahahahahahahaha! (I told you that you were going to wish I had taken a break!)**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to follow, fave, and review! :D**


	11. The Beginning

**Hey guys! I hope you're all having a good day! :)**

 **I have come back to spoil you once again! So please, enjoy! (And no, I will not apologize for what happened in the last chapter.)**

 **Also, please read the author's note below. Thanks.**

* * *

Chapter eleven. _The Beginning._

Barry's eyelids felt like they were being weighed down.

"Hey," He heard. "It's okay, go back to sleep. You need to rest."

He whimpered, the pain in his neck was excruciating. Like a bunch of knives had stabbing him repeatedly.

Then he remembered. Zoom had taken Charlie, Zoom had kidnapped her. Zoom had tried to kill him, or maybe just hurt him. "Char..." He rasped, regretting it instantly. His throat felt like it had shards of glass scraping it.

He felt a bony hand place itself on his arm. "Barry, try to rest." The voice said. It was Caitlin, most likely. "Zoom injured your neck pretty badly."

Barry swallowed as his chest felt like it was weighed down by an elephant. They didn't know what had happened to Charlie, they had no idea where she was. "Cait'n." He managed, suppressing a scream from the pain. "Zo... Char.."

"Shh, shh." She soothed, gently rubbing his arm. "I know, Barry. But you need to rest. Cisco's already trying to track down Zoom. Just sleep."

Barry wanted to stay awake, he wanted to. He wanted to find out how much progress they had made. He wanted to save his baby girl. But his eyelids were growing heavier, the struggle to stay awake getting harder. So, he gave in and let sleep take him.

···

Barry opened his eyes. "Cait.." He whimpered, his throat was still throbbing.

Caitlin turned around from where she was standing in front of the large array of computers. "Yeah, Barry?" She asked, then held up a finger to keep him quiet. "Don't speak! Gimme just a sec." She told him, rushing over to where a dry erase marker and board were sitting.

Barry looked up at her, confusion spreading through him.

Caitlin handed him the board and marker. "Zoom damaged your larynx, we're not quite sure how though, it's possible his grip around your throat was tight enough, or that he phased into your neck and just hit your voice box. You've healed to the point that you have a voice, but it isn't a good idea to use it." She told him. She seemed awfully nervous to Barry, the way she was wringing her hands and glancing back and forth.

Barry nodded, then regretted the neck movement as he wrote down his first thing. "Zoom kidnapped Charlie." He wrote, tears springing into his eyes as he read over what he had written. This couldn't be happening, what had he done wrong? Zoom had never given him any directions!

Caitlin's expression softened as she read the writing. "I know. We all do." She said, sitting down and putting her hand on his leg in a comforting manner. "Cisco has already contacted Oliver and redirected all of the satellites to finding him. If she's anywhere on this earth, we'll know soon."

Barry looked back down. He dreaded asking this question, it was the last thing he wanted to be thinking, but yet it still had found its way into his mind. The same way those dark, horrible thoughts always did. "What if we're too late?" He wrote, choking back a sob. It was Zoom? What had kept him from killing her before, and what if she was already gone?

She looked up as she finished reading. "Hey," she soothed, watching as Barry struggled to keep his tears at bay. "We don't know that, Barry. We have to stay positive." She told him. "I'm sure this will all be over soon."

Barry nodded. But they didn't know that this was only the beginning.

* * *

 **Hey guys! I'm sorry if any of what happened to Barry wasn't medically accurate.**

 **I hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading! Don't forget to follow, fave, and review.**

 **Now, on to a much more important topic.**

 **Any of you who have been on in the past few days have probably noticed that there has been an outburst in our quiet archive. We have a plagiarist on our hands.**

 **Now, I'm not trying, nor am I going to make light of this topic. Because plagiarism is disgusting.**

 **So, for those of you who don't know. Two/three days ago, a plagiarist under the name BlackQ stole the story "Prejudice" by RedQ. What they did, is, and always will be a crime.**

 **My older sister is an author, and she was, and is always telling Brentinator and I how horrible plagiarism is. The owner loses money, credit, and the belief that the product is actually theirs.**

 **And that's disgusting.**

 **Now, Brent has seen and stopped plagiarism in its act before. But to me, it was always something out of a nightmare. Until a few days ago, when BlackQ stole from one of the kindest people I know on the internet.**

 **The problem, is that this problem didn't just start a few days ago, it's been around for centuries, taking millions of dollars from the rightful owners.**

 **And it needs to end. We all know how long it takes to make something of decent quality, it's unfair for it to be taken by plagiarists.**

 **So, I have a challenge, for users and guests. If you see a story, on this site or on any other. Message the owner you know, then report the story if they tell you that it isn't their account, or that they didn't give permission to the user in question. And users, put something that stands up against plagiarism on your page. Show your anti-plagiarism support!**

 **This isn't the first time, but let's help it be one of the last. Let's end plagiarism!**

 **My love and support goes out to RedQ, who has given me her consent to post about this. Thank you.**


	12. It's Not Okay

**Hey guys!**

 **Happy New Year's Eve! :D I hope you all had a great year! (I know I did, I joined Fanfiction and met all of you lovely people!)**

 **I also want to thank you all, this story hit 3,000 views just a bit ago! :D**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy chapter twelve!**

* * *

Chapter twelve. _It's No_ _t Okay._

Barry paced around the Cortex nervously. It had been twelve hours since Charlie had been kidnapped, and there was no sign of Zoom. Or Charlie.

"Barry!"

Barry turned around. "Felicity!" He exclaimed, walking over to where she stood in the entrance. He hoped that she had news.

"I'm so sorry, Barry." She whispered as she pulled him into a bone crushing hug. "Have you found anything yet?"

Barry sobbed into her shoulder. "No." He hiccuped. "We don't have anything."

Felicity led Barry over to a few chairs, then sat down beside him. "Hey," she said, trying to get him to look at her. He seemed so distant, so lost. "It's okay, we'll find her." She told him, grabbing his hand. "You know that, right?"

Barry shrugged, still looking away from her. He looked so pale, and the claw marks from Zoom were turning into ugly red scars. "I do know." He whispered, and Felicity wasn't sure if it was from whatever Zoom had done to his neck, or if it was the only volume he could talk at without bursting into more sobs. "But what if when we do find her, it's because Zoom is bringing her dead body?" He said, then looked at her, his eyes were bloodshot from his tears. "Then what, Felicity?" He asked, raising his voice. "Then are you, and everyone else going to tell me that it's okay? She's my daughter! This isn't okay!" He yelled.

Felicity flinched. "Barry..." She whispered as he laid his head in his hands.

He shook his head. "No," he answered. "I'm sorry. I didn't need to yell at you, that was uncalled for."

She pulled him into a hug. "No, no, no." She soothed, running her hand through his hair. "No. It's okay, I know you're stressed, and probably still in pain from him hurting you. It's okay, Barry. She'll be fine."

Barry closed his eyes as the tears began to fall. "I hope you're right."

···

Joe walked into the living room and sighed. Barry sat on the sofa, staring off at nothing as he anxiously bit the pad of his thumb. "Barr?" He called, trying to get his attention.

Barry looked up. His eyes looked the same way they had after Henry had been convicted, lost and empty. "Yeah?" He asked, his voice quiet.

Joe's heart ached. It wasn't fair that someone as kind as Barry should have gone through so much in his life. And now his daughter's life was on the line. "Dinner is ready." He told him. "You've gotta eat, son."

Barry nodded and stood up. "Okay, thanks." He said, giving Joe a quick, half smile.

Joe laid a hand on Barry's shoulder as he walked past. "It's gonna be okay, Barr." He told him. He had been hesitant to say it, because he knew Barry would contradict him. Which was the same reason he hadn't asked if he was okay.

Barry nodded slowly, but didn't say a word. Why did everyone think that it was okay? His baby girl had been kidnapped by the crazy murderous speedster who had killed her parents. How was any of this okay?

···

Barry walked into Charlie's bedroom. He wasn't sure why, but he felt drawn to the room. Maybe he felt like he needed to cry more.

He walked over to the crib. He knew that it had been Iris' when she was a baby, but he didn't associate it with her, he only thought of Charlie. His baby girl.

Barry picked up the soft pink blanket he had brought for her a few days after he started fostering her. He lifted it to his face and inhaled deeply through the soft fabric. The smell reminded him of the early morning feedings, the early morning cups of coffee he would consume, the way he would rock her back to sleep, the way he would still be mostly asleep and fall back into his slumber after she was sleeping.

He sat cross legged on the floor as tears built up in his eyes. He needed her back, he knew that biologically, Charlotte wasn't his, but she was his in every other way. He may have not been there when she was born, he may not have been there when she was named. But their bond was unbreakable. He remembered the first time he met her, he had felt drawn to her from the moment he first saw her.

Barry buried his face into the blanket as the tears cascaded down his face. Everyone was telling him that it would be alright. That it was okay.

But they were wrong. It wasn't okay.

* * *

 **Hey guys! I hope you enjoyed! (Or cried, cause that's how this story has been recently. xD) Don't forget to follow, fave, and review!**

 **And since it's possible that the next chapter won't be ready before then. Happy New Year! Goodbye 2017, hello 2018!**

 **I can't wait to spend more time with you all in the new year! :D**


	13. Important Author's Note

**Hey guys!**

 **Sorry for not updating yet, I'm trying to figure out exactly how this next part is supposed to go. Because I'm not quite ready for a few things to happen yet.**

 **So, one of the big reasons I'm sending out this AN, is because I need to send out a quick update announcement.**

 **I'm having a major surgery on the seventeenth of this month, and I'm not sure I will be updating this story as often afterwards. (Not permanently, just until I'm well enough to be awake for more than an hour at a time, cause those pain meds make me really dizzy and nauseous.)**

 **But I promise that I will try to get at least three more updates in before I go MIA. (I'll try not to cliffhang you too badly.)**

 **Thanks to everyone who has read this story and given me your support, that means so much to me. :D**

 **~Grace.**


	14. The Slippery Slope

**Hey guys!**

 **Yeah, that's right, fam. I made you all wait (im)patiently for this new chapter.**

 **So, I'm having surgery a week from today, so my life is gonna be a bit crazy. I know I promised at least three updates before the seventeenth, but I'm not 100% sure that's going to happen. I'm sorry.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

* * *

Chapter thirteen. _The Slippery Slope._

Christmas came and ended in a blur, but Barry couldn't care less. While his friends and family partied and exchanged gifts, Barry had spent his every waking moment (which had become his entire day and night, he no longer slept.) trying to locate his daughter.

"Barry? Iris asked, cautiously walking up to where the speedster was speeding from one computer to another.

Barry stopped and looked up for a split second. He didn't reply, or even acknowledge that she was there.

Iris bit back tears. She knew it was selfish, but she wanted her Barry back. Yeah, she knew that he was doing it for Charlie, but he was losing himself in the process. He had stopped going to work, stopped hanging out with family, she wasn't even sure if he was eating.

"Barry?" She asked as she watched the flash of lightning speed from one computer to the other. "Have you eaten today?"

Barry stopped and looked over at her. "Yep." He told her, pointing to where the wrappers for two calorie bars lay, one of them had an unfinished bar in it.

Iris winced. He needed to have eaten ten times that. "Hey," she started, walking up to him and putting her hand on his arm. "Why don't we go get a coffee and some food?" She told him.

Barry looked at her and hesitated. He shook his head, then walked over to the computer. "I have to find her." He said, and Iris wasn't sure if it was aimed towards her or not.

She sighed. This wasn't good for him, and he probably knew it. "Okay, just... promise me you'll actually eat something." She begged.

Barry nodded. "Okay."

···

Barry sighed. He knew that this search was going nowhere. Zoom had gotten away once again, and he probably wasn't even on this world anymore.

But that didn't stop Barry, nothing would. Not even the hunger pains burning in his stomach as it demanded some food, not even the pulsing headache that begged for a few moments in the dark and away from the bright computer screens. Not even his friends could get him to leave his search. Because he would do anything to get his daughter back.

He looked up at the clock and sighed. It had been six hours since Iris had been in here.

Barry walked over to the stale, half uneaten calorie bar. He sighed and threw it away.

He knew he needed to eat, but along with being hungry, he was nauseous with worry. What if he couldn't find Charlie? What if Zoom kills her?

Barry shook those thoughts away and went back to work.

···

Caitlin and Cisco walked into the Cortex. They had been helping Oliver and Felicity look in Starling City. Sadly, there had been no sightings of Zoom, or Charlie.

"Barry?" Caitlin called. All of the lights and computers were on, but it seemed like there was no one there.

Cisco pulled out his phone. "I'll call him." He told her, typing in Barry's number.

"Barry!" Caitlin tried again, a bit louder. "Are you here?"

They both jumped as Barry's ringtone sounded through the Cortex.

They looked at each other. Barry was, or had been here. Something was wrong, Barry would never leave his cellphone anywhere, it had too much sensitive information on it.

Then, Caitlin saw it. "Barry!" She screamed.

In the corner, unconscious and crumpled up, was Barry.

* * *

 **Hahhahahahahahhahaha ha ha ha. *coughs***

 **So yeah, I hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to follow, fave, and review!**


	15. Towards The Edge

**Hey guys!**

 **I don't have much to say this time around. xD Um... Barry's very crazy and out of character in this chapter, but that was intentional.**

 **Oh! This story is 200 views away from 5,000 views, it's also my largest story. So thank you for all of your love and support, fam! :D**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter! :D**

* * *

Chapter fourteen. _Towards The Edge._

"Bartholomew Henry Allen!" Caitlin began as Barry opened his eyes. "What were you thinking? You know that you have to eat!"

Barry squeezed his eyes shut. His head was pounding, like a volcano was erupting inside of it. "I know." He whispered, gripping the blanket as he wished for some kind of relief. "But I have to find her."

"And how are you going to do that if you're dead, huh?" Caitlin asked. "You can't save her if you can't take care of yourself, Barry!"

"You don't understand!" Barry yelled. "She can't take care of herself, she can't protect herself! She's a baby!" He continued, sitting up on the bed. That was enough, they didn't seem to understand, and he was sick of it. They said it would be okay. But it wouldn't be.

"Barry, calm down." Cisco told him, trying to lay him back down. Barry was still far from having decent glucose levels, he needed at least ten more IV bags before Caitlin would even begin thinking about letting him get up. And even then, she'd make him eat something.

"No, you listen!" Barry yelled at them, causing them both to flinch at his outburst. "It's not okay, it's not like when you were kidnapped by Grod, Caitlin. Or when you were kidnapped by Snart! You two had ways to defend yourselves. She's a four month old baby that was kidnapped by Zoom! What defence does she have!?"

Barry stood up and pulled out his IV, almost falling backwards from the dizziness and pain that washed through him. He didn't care though, he only cared about one thing. His daughter. "I'm going to find my daughter." He told them. "If it's the last thing that I do."

"Barry," Caitlin started. "Sit back down. We'll help you find her. But please, your glucose levels are too low right now, please wait until they're higher."

Barry glared at her. "We have always put the people first." He told them. "So why am I first when it's my baby girl that needs saving?"

···

Barry ran.

He needed to let off steam, he needed to check the city for Zoom again. He needed his daughter. But the universe was against him, because the longer he ran, the angrier he felt. The faster he ran, the more he realized that he would always be slower than Zoom. And the more ran, the more he realized that not even the Speedforce could fill the void that not having Charlie had left.

"Help!"

Barry skidded to a stop as he heard the scream.

"Someone, help me!"

Barry ran towards the scream, then he saw the source. There was a woman cornered in an alley, the person cornering her, was a meta with smoke around them and coming out of his hands.

Barry sped towards the meta, grabbing him and running the meta into a brick wall. "What is wrong with you?" Barry hissed through clenched teeth. "You've abused your powers." He told the meta, then sped him to the pipeline.

···

Caitlin watched as Barry paced back and forth. "Anything new?" He asked, looking up at her and Cisco.

The shook their heads. "I'm sorry, Barry." Caitlin told him. "Nothing new yet."

Barry nodded, then sped to the pipeline. "Where is he!?" Barry shouted at the meta he had caught earlier. He hadn't even taken the time to learn his name. And why should he? The meta was going to rot in this cell anyway.

The meta looked up, frowning in confusion. "Who?" He asked.

Barry slammed his hand against the glass pane that kept the two of them apart. "Zoom!" He yelled. "I know that he sent you! What earth did you come from, huh?"

The meta flinched. "Zoom?" He asked. "You mean that blue monster that's been speeding around the city? I don't know a thing about him."

"Don't lie to me!" Barry bellowed.

"You wanna know why I did it!?" The man cried hysterically. "I did it for my girlfriend! She's about to have a baby and we don't have the money! I don't have anything to do with Zoom!"

Barry was about to retort when a stabbing pain suddenly pulsed through his back.

He looked behind him. Iris stood in the doorway, tranquilizer gun in her hand. "I'm sorry." She whispered.

Then his vision blurred and turned dark.

* * *

 **Yeah, that just happened.**

 **And yes, this chapter name is a continuation of the last one. (The Slippery Slope Towards The Edge.) I think it's metaphorical or how easy a fall to the dark side is? At least, that's how I took it. (I'm not even sure if I got the saying right. xD)**

 **So, thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to follow, fave, and review! :D**


	16. Forgiveness

**Hey guys!**

 **I'm so sorry for the long wait between updates, but as you all know, I had surgery on the seventeenth, and sadly, recovery is not going very well. (I've had a few problems, nothing too serious, but definitely not good.)**

 **Anyways, I'm glad to be back, and I hope you all enjoy this new chapter! :D**

* * *

Chapter fifteen. _Forgiveness._

Barry woke up furious. They had knocked him out, and now he was in the pipeline. "Let me out!" He screamed, banging on the door. "I have to save her!"

Barry fell to to the ground as he sobbed, every emotion filling him. He felt guilty for the broken promises he had made to Charlotte, the promise that he would protect her and keep her safe from Zoom. He felt guilty for the metahuman incident, he had almost hurt the man. What was wrong with him? He was a meta too, and he of all people could have understood the man's plea.

He realized just how much he had messed up. Instead of relying on his team to help him find a way to save Charlie, he had locked them out and tried to do everything on his own. He had done everything in the exact opposite way he was supposed to. He had let his anger take control of him, now, he had to pay the consequences. And Charlie was paying them too.

···

Iris looked up from the computer she had been watching Barry on. He had been sobbing with his knees pulled up to his chest for at least the last half hour.

She sighed. "Is there anything else we can do?" She asked Caitlin and Cisco. "There has to be something."

Caitlin sighed as she looked up from one of the different computers. "I don't know, Iris." She told her. "We've tried everything we can, and frankly, Barry is out of control. It's not safe to let him out of the pipeline."

Iris nodded sadly, then looked back down at the computer. Barry was in the same position, but seemed to have stopped crying. "I'm gonna go talk to him." She decided. "Maybe I can help him."

Caitlin nodded. "Be careful."

···

"Barry?"

Barry looked up, then sighed. "What is it, Iris?" He asked quietly.

Iris sat down at the edge of the door. "I'm sorry, Barry." She whispered, leaning her head against the thick glass panel.

Barry put his head against the panel where hers laid, the only thing keeping them apart was the glass. "Don't apologize." He told her gently. "You did the right thing. I was out of control and about to hurt that meta, who by the way, needs to be freed."

Iris nodded. "Can I ask what caused your change of heart?" She asked slowly.

Barry sighed. He wasn't sure what had changed him, one second he was seeing red and about to kill an innocent man, then he's calm. "I... I guess it was me fully coming to terms with everything." He said. "I can't save her by myself, and I definitely can't save her if I'm crazy or hurting myself, and other people."

Iris smiled, then stood up. "Let's get you out of here." She told him, opening the cell door. "And let's get you some food."

Barry walked up to her, and pulled her into his arms. "Thank you, Iris." He whispered, then pressed his lips to hers.

Iris' heart pounded at the sudden move her friend had made, but then she kissed him back.

* * *

 **Yes! West-Allen for the win! (Sorry, I'm a crazed West-Allen shipper, and I've been hinting at it since the beginning of this story. So...)**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to follow, fave, and review!**

 **Thanks for reading! :D**


	17. The End of the Beginning

**Hey guys!**

 **Wow, it's been almost a month since I last updated this. (Yeah.. sorry about that. xD)**

 **Here's the exciting news though, this story is almost finished! I probably only have two or three more chapters left! (Yes, I am planning a sequel, you will get to see more of Barry and Charlie.)**

 **So, I hope you all enjoy this new chapter!**

* * *

Chapter sixteen. _The End of the Beginning._

Iris looked up at Barry as they broke apart. "I um..." She stuttered. She wasn't sure what to say as the adrenaline from the kiss continued coursing through her veins.

Barry looked down at the ground. "I'm sorry." He apologized, he felt so stupid for what he had just done. Sure, she had kissed him back, but there were so many better men out there. And she deserved the best.

Iris gently lifted his chin so he was face to face with her. "Don't apologize." She said, locking eyes with him. "I..." She stopped herself, was she really about to say this? It had been something that she had thought numerous times over the years, but the second she said it, it would be made real...

"I feel the same way, Barry."

···

Caitlin looked up from a computer as Barry and Iris walked back into the cortex. She smiled. "Hey, Iris. Hi, Barry." She greeted, before looking back down at the computer.

Barry smiled. "Hey, Cait." He replied. "Anything new?"

"Other than the fact that you two just fulfilled all of my West-Allen hopes?" Cisco began, then his smiled faded. "No, nothing yet."

Iris handed Barry a calorie bar. "We're gonna find her." She told him. "It's gonna be okay."

Barry nodded. He hoped that they were correct. But Charlie had been missing since the twenty third of December, she had almost been missing for two weeks. Who knows what all Zoom had done to her? The thought was enough to make Barry feel absolutely sick to his stomach.

Barry sighed. "Has Ollie found anything yet?" He asked, opening the calorie bar and taking a bite.

Caitlin shook his head. "Not yet, Barry." She told him.

Barry nodded, then gasped. "I've got it!" He exclaimed, dropping the uneaten third of his calorie bar.

Iris frowned. "Barry?" She began. "What do you got?" She asked.

Barry sped to the computer, then began typing at superhuman speed. "Speedsters leave behind a trail of lightning! We can track him down using satellites and sensors to pick up the places that he's run to and from, because he's left behind a footprint that we can track!"

Cisco looked up as Barry began to quickly put his idea into the computer. "Bro," he began, looking at the speedster in front of him and wondering how much more that keyboard could take before it burst into flames. "You would leave behind a signature too. How would we tell them apart?" He asked.

Barry looked up at him for a split second, then back at the computer. "His lightning is hotter than mine because he runs faster and causes more friction. It will make it easy to tell the difference between the two signatures." He explained, then stopped typing as he finished the command. "Hang in there, baby girl. Daddy's coming."

···

"Hey." Iris greeted, walking into the cortex and to where Barry sat tapping his foot at an alarming pace. "Watcha thinking, babe?" She asked, sitting down beside him.

Barry looked up at her. "Mmm? Oh, about everything I guess." He told her, then laid his head on her shoulder. "Our kiss, the metahuman who needs to be released from the pipeline, and my baby girl."

She nodded, then leaned her head on his. "I see." She said. "Well, you're a very good kisser, and I'm hoping to be asked on a date after this is all over. As for the meta, we can go release him now. And Charlie... nothing yet?"

Barry smiled. "Well, you are a good one too. And I'll definitely be asking you out on a date after this is over. That would actually be great if we could go do that. And no, nothing yet. The satellites are still getting the data. It shouldn't be too much longer though." He replied.

She nodded, then stood up. "I think we should go free a meta."

···

Barry walked into the pipeline, then opened the door to the cell. "You're free to go." He told the meta.

The meta looked up. "Really?" He asked.

Barry nodded. "Go. Go be with your wife and..?"

The meta smiled. "It's twins, a girl and a boy." He told him. "Kylie and Kyle."

Barry grinned. Once again aching to have his baby girl in his arms. He hoped so much that his plan would work. "Congratulations." Barry replied, then pulled out his wallet and handed that man two hundred dollars. "Don't go back to thievery. Come here, we'll help you and your family out."

The man opened his mouth to reply, but was cut short by Cisco's yelling. "Barry! Barry!" He called as he ran in there.

Barry frowned at his out of breath friend. "What's wrong?" He asked.

Cisco stood there catching his breath for a moment, then looked Barry in the eye. "We found her."

* * *

 **Yep, that's right, Barry is getting his baby girl back!**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to follow, fave, and review!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	18. Easier Said Than Done

**Hey guys!**

 **Guess what? I'm here to spoil you all again! Yay!**

 **Shout out to aliqueen16 for helping me figure out this chapter! Thanks, girl!**

 **So, I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter seventeen. _Easier Said Than Done._

Barry ran to the cortex. Stopping in front of one of the computer and looking at where his enemy had been keeping his baby girl captive. "Wow..." He breathed. "That is literally in the middle of-"

He stopped, then raced to Starling City and grabbing Oliver, then running back and bringing Felicity.

"Barry?" Felicity began, fixing where her clothing had gotten messed up. "Did you find Charlie?" She asked.

Barry nodded. "Yeah, we think we found her!" He told them, slightly panting from the run. "I want your help though. I don't know what we're going to face in there. Or who."

Oliver nodded, then put his hand on Barry's shoulder. "Okay, let's come up with a plan, then head out." He told him.

Barry looked at him, anger beginning to boil his blood. "We don't have time!" Barry exclaimed, trying to control the rage that was coursing through him. "We don't know what he's done to her! We need to go, now!"

Oliver looked over at Felicity, then back at Barry. He knew what a dumb idea it would be to go in without a plan, but they also had no idea what they would or wouldn't be encountering. "Okay, let's suit up."

···

It took Barry a total of three and a half minutes to get the team to the warehouse that Charlie was in, or was hopefully in. She had to be there, he had to save her. He was too close to be let down so brutally.

Oliver looked around. "A bit cliche, don't you think?" He whispered as they walked up to the worn down building.

"Something seems fishy," Cisco said, pulling out his speed dampening dart gun as Oliver raised his bow. "And I'm not talking about how anticlimactic this whole thing is."

Barry inhaled shakily, then quickly opened the doors. Then frowned.

"What is that?" Iris asked, walking closer before Oliver put out his arm, motioning for her to stay back. "Babe, what is it?" She asked Barry.

"Babe?" Felicity asked quietly.

"Oh yeah, you should have seen them make out." Cisco whispered to her. "West-Allen has been confirmed as a cannon ship."

Barry walked up. "It's... glass." He said, then banged his hand on it. "Oh."

Oliver walked up to him. "What is it?" He asked, looking through the pane of thick glass, into another pane on glass, then a metal slab.

Barry looked at Oliver. "Ollie..." He began. "This isn't just any glass. This is glass from a different earth."

···

Barry put his hand against the glass. He was so close, but vibrating fast, or slow enough was going to be difficult. And it wasn't just one layer, by the looks of it, there was at least three. Who knew what was behind that metal slab? This was the ultimate lock, one even a speedster would have difficulties getting through.

"What if we shot the glass with bullets?" Iris suggested, watching as Barry tried vibrating at different speeds.

Oliver shook his head. "Bulletproof." He told her, then looked back at Barry as the speedster's hand went through the glass. "Barry?"

Barry looked up and grinned, then vibrated his whole body and phased through the glass. "I'm through!" He shouted, then gave them a thumbs up. "I'll be back!"

He walked up to next pane, and smirked. Zoom had made this too easy.

He began to vibrate his body at the same speed he had for the last pane. He was so close to his Charlotte, he was so close to holding his baby in his arms again.

As the ran for the glass pane, he was thrown back.

He cursed. They were all from different earth. This was a trick that only Zoom could have thought of.

He ran at the glass pane at different speeds, he had to get through at some point, right?

···

Five minutes of beating against the glass with his whole body didn't result in much, only bruises. He felt like crying, he was already sore and tired. But he couldn't give up, his baby was here. He was sure of it.

Barry closed his eyes and calmed himself. Crying was not going to help anything.

He ran at the wall again, this time going through it. He hoped this next one wouldn't be as much of a challenge. His head was beginning to pound, and he was pouring sweat.

He looked ahead. In front of him was a metal wall, aluminum most likely. And even more likely, not from this earth.

He guess was proven to be correct when he ran towards the slab and was thrown back into the glass behind him.

He sat there for a minute. Finally breaking down and beginning to sob. This truly was the worst thing Zoom had done to him, he had kidnapped his child, then put her behind a bunch of different kinds of materials from different earths. How was he supposed to get to her?

Barry stood up and wiped his eyes. He was going to get his daughter back, and nothing was going to stop him.

* * *

 **What? Did you all think that getting Charlie back would be easy? No, it's not.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to follow, fave, and review!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	19. Reunited

**Hey guys!**

 **I'm beginning to spoil you all again with these daily updates, aren't I? xD**

 **So I hope you enjoy this chapter! (Even though I'm almost 100% sure you will. :P)**

* * *

Chapter eighteen. _Reunited._

Three metal slabs later, Barry was beginning to feel dizzy and also wondering if he could even make it to Charlie.

Barry fell to his knees, too weak to continue. Then he looked up, he could hear crying coming from the other side of the wall. He was so close.

He stood up, then wobbled as his legs threatened to give out again.

He put his hand to the slab of metal, it was cold to the touch, freezing actually.

"I'm almost there, baby." He whispered, beginning to vibrate his hand. "Daddy's almost there."

Barry could feel his strength and power leaving him as he vibrated his hand at full speed. He knew he was going to have to push himself, but he had been weakened by the other five slabs and panes. "Please," he begged the Speedforce. "I need my daughter. I just need to go a bit faster..."

···

Iris paced in front of the building. "What's taking so long?" She asked, then looked over at Oliver. "Do you think something's wrong?"

Oliver sighed. "I think you should calm down." He told her. "Barry is probably fine."

Iris glared at him. "Wow." She deadpanned. "That's not reassuring at all."

"That's why I don't reassure people." Oliver said. "I let Felicity do that."

Iris groaned. She was beginning to wish that Barry had taken her with him.

···

Barry looked up as he phased through the slab. He was in some sort of.. lab almost. Then he saw it. Her.

Barry laughed as tears began to form in his eyes. "Charlie!" He cried, running up to her. He had finally done it, he had found her. He had found his baby.

He began looking over her. She looked fine, she had lost most of her baby fat, but she looked okay. It was nothing that a few midnight feedings couldn't fix.

Barry picked her up as tears of joy continued to cascade from his eyes. He began placing kisses all over her cheeks and forehead. He was so happy.

Charlie whimpered, then opened her eyes. Her beautiful chocolate eyes focused on him, then she cooed, reaching up and running her tiny fingers along his jawline.

Barry laughed, still sobbing. "Hey, baby girl." He said, then sniffled as he ran his fingers through her hair. "It's daddy. I kept my promise." He told her.

She gurgled, then leaned against his chest and Barry felt his heart swell. He had his daughter back, she was with him again. And he was never letting her go.

He kissed the top of his head, then walked over to the metal slab. He had never used his superspeed when he was holding Charlie.

He looked down at her. She had already started falling asleep. "Lets get out of here."

···

Iris looked up as Barry stumbled through the glass pane, and back outside of the warehouse. "Cait'n." Barry mumbled.

Iris ran over and grabbed Charlie from Barry's arms as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he fell to the ground.

"Barry!" She screamed, looking at his lifeless form. "Caitlin, help!"

* * *

 **What? Did you guys think that it would be a good chapter with no cliffhangers? Well, I would like to apologize to those who got that misleading information.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed! Please follow, fave, and review!**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	20. Bad News

**Hey guys!**

 **So, good news and bad news.**

 **The good news is that this is literally either the next to last chapter or there's only two chapters left. (But I'm leaning towards one. But there will be a sequel this summer/whenever I feel like it.)**

 **The bad news is that I'm having surgery on Wednesday, so I'm not really sure when this story will be updated again. (I know, only I get this kind of luck.)**

 **But thank you for all of your love and support on this story, I don't think it would have gotten so far if I didn't have the love you all have given me. So, thanks again.**

 **I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

Chapter nineteen. _Bad News._

Iris looked up at Oliver. "How are you so calm?" She asked him angrily. She wasn't really mad at him, she was mad at Zoom. She was also worried about Barry, and about Charlie. Would they both be okay? Would they both die? What was going to happen?

Caitlin walked into the Cortex. "Good news." She told them. "Barry will be fine. He just wore himself out straining his powers. He wasn't made to go at those speeds. He should wake up soon."

Iris smiled. She wanted to thank whatever deity or science was in charge of the universe, be it the Speedforce, a god, aliens, or fate/karma. Whatever had caused her Barry to be okay, she wanted to thank it.

"What about Charlotte?" Oliver asked, bring Iris back to reality. Barry might be okay, but what about his daughter?

Caitlin nodded. "She's underweight, malnourished, but I think she's okay." She told them.

Oliver narrowed his eyes. "Think?" He asked. "You think she's okay?"

Caitlin looked down. "One test came back odd." She admitted, causing Iris' stomach to lurch.

"What do you mean?" Iris asked as a new wave of worry flooded her. Charlie had to be okay, they- no, Barry had been through too much to lose her.

"It means that one of the tests came back with results that shouldn't have been there." She told them calmly. "But it's fine, I'm redoing the tests. Charlie should be okay."

Iris sighed, then nodded. "I hope so."

···

Barry moaned and turned his head to the side. He literally felt like he was on fire, that was the only way he could explain it. He felt weak, tingly, but like every limb was on fire.

"Hey there, Sleeping Beauty." Iris whispered.

Barry looked over at her and smiled, pushing the pain to the back of his thoughts. Iris was more important. "Hi." He whispered. "How's Charlie?"

Iris smiled at him. "She's safe." She told him, which was true. "Caitlin is running a few tests on her." Which again, was true.

"Remember that one time I accidentally exploded that science experiment in the garage?" He began.

Iris grinned, then laid down beside him. "Yeah, and the whole garage and backyard smelled like that one time we caught that stomach bug?" She added.

Barry wrinkled his nose at the comparison. "Lets not talk about puke, but yes, that time." He said. "Well, remember how I got a bit of whatever fluid was in there on my skin and it burned so bad?"

Iris nodded, then began stroking his silky chestnut hair. "Yeah." She told him. "But what does that have to do with anything?"

Barry curled up to her and placed his head on her shoulder, then closed his eyes. "Because that's what pushing way past your speed limit feels like..." He explained. "Don't go past the speed limit."

Iris nodded again as she tried to bite back her laughter at the usage of the term "speed limit".

"How can I help?" She asked, then kissed his cheek. She wanted to relieve his pain. It was like he was always in some sort of pain, even before he was the Flash and he would just randomly cut or bruise himself on random things because he was a klutz.

Barry opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted as Caitlin ran in. "I have bad news."

* * *

 **Yeah... At this point you all want Barry and Charlie to live happily ever after. (With some Barry whump on the side.) But that's not happening yet, so buckle up for the bumpy ride that will be the final chapter.**

 **So, I hope you enjoyed. Once again, thanks for all of the support, this story is almost at 10K views. Please follow, fave, and review.**

 **Thank for reading!**


	21. Dé-jà Vu

**Hey guys! Happy Monday!**

 **So, believe it or not, I finished the book! And warning, you might want some tissues.**

 **Anyway, thanks for all of your support and love and that little bit of hate when Zoom kidnapped Charlie.**

 **So, I hope you all enjoy the final chapter.**

* * *

Chapter twenty. _Dé-jà Vu._

Barry looked up. "Cait?" He began. "What is it?" He asked as he had a wave of nervous energy fill him and he felt sick to his stomach.

Caitlin bit her lip. "I did some testing on Charlie." She told him. "Zoom..." She stopped as she choked on a sob.

"Caitlin, what did he do to my daughter!?" Barry cried, tearing up. She had to be okay, she needed to be okay. He couldn't lose her.

Caitlin inhaled shakily, then wiped her eyes. "He did something horrible..."

···

Barry paced around the Cortex as he rocked Charlie in his arms. Since she had woken up she had been sobbing uncontrollably. He was trying everything to soothe her, but nothing was working. And it was breaking his heart.

"So, Velocity 9?" Barry asked, gently bouncing Charlie in his arms as she sucked on his shirt's collar, a way Barry believed was to try to relieve her pain.

Caitlin shrugged. "Something of that nature." She told him, then ushered him over to the computer.

Barry looked at the computer he could see two sets of cells, both being destroyed at an alarming rate. "Cait? What is this?" He asked, feeling his stomach twist and cramp the longer he looked at it.

Caitlin pointed to the one on the right. "This is Jay's, aka, Zoom's cell degeneration disease. It was caused by the velocity serums." She explained, then sighed and pointed to the one on the left. "These are Charlie's cells. Zoom must have injected her with some version of the velocity serum, and it's killing her. Quickly and painfully."

Barry felt like he had been punched in the stomach, and not a normal punch, a supersonic punch. He felt like the wind had been knock right out of him. Even the pain of breaking his back wasn't as painful as this. "H-how long does she..?" He asked. He couldn't say it, he couldn't believe it.

Caitlin bit her lip. "Three months."

···

"There has to be something we can do!" Barry exclaimed as he fed Charlie her bottle. He couldn't lose her.

"Barry, we can look for a cure, but it would take more than three months." Cisco told him. "We just don't have the time..."

"Let me go to the future, I'll find the cure, then come back with it." Barry said, beginning to pat Charlie's back.

"No!" Iris said. "Do you have any idea what that could do to the past? And not only that, but the future? It could erase her, and everyone else in this room from existence!"

Barry sighed and slumped back in his chair. "There has to be something..." He whispered as he teared up. "I... I can't lose her."

Charlie looked up at him and cooed, making Barry feel even worse. He wasn't her real father, but that didn't mean that he didn't have a bond with her. He had spent one and a half months calling her his baby girl, making time for her, caring for her. She was his. And Zoom had done the unthinkable, he had injected her with a serum that would destroy her from the inside out. Zoom had done that to his daughter. To get to him- no, to get to The Flash.

"What if you slowed down the degeneration?" Oliver suggested from where he stood in the corner with Felicity at his side and his bow and arrows at the other, he wasn't taking any chances and was ready to shoot if needed.

Caitlin looked up at him with interest. "What do you mean?" She asked. "How would you suggest doing that?"

"Put her in a coma." He suggested, hesitantly making eye contact with Barry. "Take control of her organs and make them go as slow as possible without killing her. Would that work?"

Cisco stood up and typed a command into the computer. "Caitlin, it works."

"Wait!" Barry cried, protectively holding Charlie closer. "You want to put her in a coma!?"

Iris nodded as the rest of them slowly looked at him. "Barry, honey, it would save her." She explained. "It would give them more time to find a cure."

Barry looked up at them. "How much longer would it give her?" He asked. He absolutely hated the idea, he barely remembered his coma, but he remembered coming out of it confused, scared and missing out on too much. He couldn't do that to her.

Caitlin looked at the screen. "It would give her a year, as opposed to the three months she has now." She told him. "It practically quadruples her chances of survival."

"Guys, I've played this game before. The repercussions..." Barry began, stroking Charlie's cheek. "She's not a meta, she won't be fine afterwards the same way I was. She'll miss vital parts of her development..."

"Barry," Oliver began, walking over and placing his hand on Barry's shoulder. "She can catch up. But she'll die if we don't do this."

Barry nodded, then looked down at Charlie, his little Charlotte. This really was the only way. "Okay, let's do it."

···

Barry rocked Charlie in his arms. After hours of begging, he was allowed to get her to sleep before they put her in the coma. An idea he still wasn't very comfortable with. "Its gonna be okay, Charlie." He told her, more as a way to reassure himself. "Daddy won't leave your side. You'll be safe the whole time. And when you wake up, you'll be all better."

Charlie yawned, then looked up at him as she began dozing off. And with another wave of heartbreaking realization, Barry realized that this would be the last few minutes he would see Charlie awake until she was cured, or... it would be the last time ever.

Barry smiled at her weakly as he teared up. It wasn't fair, this was his daughter! Why did this always happen to him!? Why did he have to be unhappy!?

Charlie reached up and touched his neck, cooing quietly as she did. "I love you, Charlotte Olivia Allen." He whispered, taking her hand in his and kissing her fingers. "I'll miss you."

Charlie closed her eyes, then her breathing evened out.

Barry sighed sadly, his heart never feeling more broken. She was asleep.

···

Caitlin sighed as she connected Charlie to one last machine. "There we go." She said. "She's comatose and stable."

Barry nodded sadly as he looked up at Caitlin, then back down at Charlie. "Will you give me a few minutes alone with her?" He asked, his voice cracking as he spoke.

Caitlin nodded. "Yeah." She said, then smiled a half smile at him.

Barry pulled his chair closer as Caitlin left the room. He couldn't believe everything that had happened in the past two months. He had adopted a daughter who had been orphaned in the worst of circumstances, he became completely enamored with her and her mannerisms. Then, in a turn of events, she was ripped from him. And even though he had saved her, it didn't really feel that way. He still felt like he had failed her.

Barry leaned over and stroked Charlie's hair, then her little cheeks.

Then he began singing as he held her tiny little hand.

"You are my sunshine,

My only sunshine.

You make me happy,

When skies are gray.

You'll never know dear,

How much I love you..."

Barry choked up on the last line, saying it more as a prayer to whatever god or deity ruled over the universe than as a song for his comatose daughter. "Please don't take my sunshine away..."

The End.

* * *

 **Yeah, I bet none of you expected that. Even if you did expect a sad ending.**

 **So, as stated in a previous chapter, I** **will most likely be starting the sequel this summer. But I could literally do that crazy thing where I just randomly start a book!**

 **So, if you want. Until then, you have my permission to write stories about Barry and Charlie and post them here on FanFiction. Just please give me credit for Charlie, and PM me with a link once it's up. :)**

 **Anyways, thanks for reading this story. It means so much to me that this story got such a warm welcome and was received so well.**

 **It would be awesome if you could review and tell me what you thought of the final chapter and the book as a whole. Thanks.**

 **Thanks for reading!**


	22. Announcement! The sequel is up!

**Hey guys!**

 **The sequel is up! It's called** ** _"DNA"_** **, and I just wanted to tell you that it's up and getting very frequent updates!**

 **Also, my friend aliqueen16 is currently writing a collection of one shots about Charlie and Barry called** ** _"Charlie's Firsts"_** **, and it's amazing so far. So please go over there and give it some love!**

 **Thanks, and thank you for all of the support.**

 **~Grace.**


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